Biogas and Biomethane: Mexico’s New Biofuels Law Sparks Growth

For many years, biogas and biomethane occupied a marginal position within Mexico’s national energy discussion. While other technologies attracted public attention and investment, the potential of organic waste remained largely underestimated, despite representing one of the country's most significant opportunities in terms of energy transition, waste management, rural development, and emissions reduction. Although efforts had been made in the past to promote the sector, its strategic importance had yet to be fully recognized.

Today, that reality is beginning to change in a positive way. More organizations, companies, government institutions, universities, and specialists are actively discussing biogas and biomethane.

The topic is appearing more frequently in conferences, publications, working groups, and corporate strategies. What only a few years ago seemed like a highly specialized niche is now becoming part of a broader national conversation, which is undoubtedly positive news for the gaseous biofuels sector.

However, it is important to recognize a challenge faced by every emerging industry as interest grows and new stakeholders enter the market. As an industry gains relevance, a collective responsibility emerges: distinguishing between building a conversation and building an industry.

Talking about biogas is relatively easy. Developing projects, building technical capacities, advancing regulation, attracting investment, training talent, creating markets, and bringing facilities into operation is considerably more complex.

For this reason, 2025 and 2026 represent a turning point for Mexico. The new Biofuels Law and its corresponding Regulations have begun to establish the institutional framework required for biogas and biomethane to evolve from a long-discussed opportunity into a structured industry supported by clear rules, regulatory certainty, and a long-term vision.

In this process, the participation of Mexico’s Ministry of Energy (SENER) has been fundamental. The technical and institutional dialogue maintained over recent years has enabled progress in regulatory development, standardization, permitting, capacity building, and the construction of a national agenda for the sector.

Likewise, the Mexican Petroleum Institute (IMP) has demonstrated that Mexico’s energy transition requires strong technical institutions capable of supporting the development of new energy value chains.

The best example of this was the 6th National Biogas Technical Forum, held at the IMP facilities, where government authorities, specialists, companies, international organizations, developers, and academic institutions shared a common message: the potential exists, and the time to act is now.

The Forum confirmed that biogas is no longer merely a promise; it is becoming a reality under construction, and tangible results are beginning to emerge.

At the National Biogas Council (CNBiogás), we have promoted a structured agenda guided by a simple yet ambitious vision: represent, connect, and transform.

This agenda includes strengthening sector institutions, promoting multi-stakeholder representation before public authorities, developing flagship projects, building technical capacities, creating a strong public narrative, and enhancing both national and international collaboration. Just over a year into this new stage, the results are already visible.

CNBiogás actively participates in strategic discussions with SENER, regulatory consultation and standardization processes, international cooperation initiatives, and the development of projects that will accelerate the adoption of globally proven technologies.

We have also strengthened relationships with organizations and institutions from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and other international partners that have already traveled a path that Mexico is only beginning to build.

Perhaps the most important indicator of progress is this: today, CNBiogás members are involved in 100% of the permits issued under the new regulatory framework established by the Biofuels Law and its Regulations.

The first production, commercialization, and distribution permits for biogas and biomethane are already a reality, while several additional projects continue advancing through different regulatory stages. This demonstrates that the sector has moved beyond planning and has entered the implementation phase.

Equally important is the fact that the projects currently under development in Mexico have the potential to become continental benchmarks.

Some could rank among the most significant biomethane production facilities in Latin America and even among the largest in the Americas, integrating energy production, waste valorization, emissions reduction, and the substitution or complement of fossil fuels within a single development platform.

These are the kinds of projects that truly transform industries.

For that reason, it is encouraging to see a growing number of organizations expressing interest in participating in the sector.

The emergence of new stakeholders, associations, business initiatives, and specialized groups should be viewed as a natural consequence of market growth.

• Mexico needs more investment.
• It needs more developers.
• It needs more talent.
• It needs more innovation.
• It needs more voices promoting biogas and biomethane.
• But it also needs something equally important: coordination.

International experience demonstrates that successful sectors are those capable of building shared agendas. Differences in perspective are natural and even healthy.

What is not helpful is fragmenting efforts, duplicating work, or creating narratives disconnected from the country's technical and regulatory realities.

Mexico’s biogas industry is still too young to waste energy on unnecessary divisions. For this reason, CNBiogás maintains a clear position: our doors remain open to collaborate with any organization, company, academic institution, or public entity committed to advancing the sector.

• Competition of ideas is welcome.
• Plurality is welcome.
• The participation of new stakeholders is welcome.

However, we must all share one fundamental principle: building a larger industry is more important than building a larger organization.

Success will not be measured by the number of associations that exist or by how many stakeholders talk about biogas. What will truly matter is how many projects reach operation, how much methane we prevent from reaching the atmosphere, how much renewable energy we generate, how many jobs we create, and how much we contribute to Mexico’s competitiveness. That is the objective and that will continue to be the commitment of the National Biogas Council.

The moment for biogas in Mexico has finally arrived, now it is up to all stakeholders to transform this opportunity into a strong, competitive industry capable of generating lasting benefits for the country over the coming decades.